Let Your Message Be Love

It is the presence of love in our lives, not money that makes us wealthy in life. Do that fiercely.

~Me, Brittany Polifroni January 24, 2017

So I have been winding this piece on purpose and following God’s calling for a couple weeks. All things lead me there. Every sermon each Sunday. Every worship. And it’s coming, but this morning I got a little derailed with a phone call from my father. And this piece weighed heavily on my heart and I had to share. And this little quote came to me on my walk here to write.

Even though I have been thinking a lot on purpose and calling and talents, like I know I have a talent for cooking and that I am supposed to share that with people. Today, though, I can’t help but delve a little deeper. The purpose driving me behind my way of expression. What is my message in this life?

My whole life I have felt this strong relationship with God. Even when I was exploring or reading other religious text, I prayed to God (harder). The mindfulness and meditation that I took away, cleared space for me to truly listen. It gave me the stillness I needed. And he has always spoken and guided me on this journey. For I think I have known for a long time that I (we) are not in control of anything. But I have always been guided by a strong intuition, which I obediently followed, because I was being pulled by something bigger and stronger than me. Because I have done some pretty out-of-the-norm things without really knowing at the time why (although I can see why now). And it’s amazing to look back and see how we are being guided and taken care of. How even our greatest struggles, are leading us to our biggest revelations.

For a decade the words and messages I have been receiving are much like this one I got this morning. Always telling me to:

LET YOUR MESSAGE BE ONE OF LOVE.

The streams of thoughts in my brain center on how I can achieve this. How can I be better at letting love flow. How can I love more fiercely? And a few weeks ago this one came to me during worship:

Love others as they are, not as you want or how you think they should be. Meet them where they are. Love them and their flaws, imperfections, sins, messy, raw humanness. Even when you are up against a wall or non-reception. Love harder. Let your message be love. Let your living legend be love. Let your legacy be love. When you take people as they are, you give them room to grow into their potential. Love is what we all need. We are loved.

And so I believe wholeheartedly that my real purpose is to be a messenger and spreader of love. God loves us perfectly as we are. There is never a moment we are not loved or unlovable. We should seek then to Love others as God loves us.

What will your legacy be? How will you affect others? Let then your words and actions be in love, be in kindness. Share that. Love can be scary and make us feel vulnerable sometimes. But then you keep doing. Because that’s all there is. It’s our biggest gift we can give others and ourselves. It’s what we all crave. And love means loving others as they are. Believe that they’re doing the best they can, where they are, right now. And meet them there. Unopinionated. Non-judging. Embrace them in their flaws. Because the fear and vulnerability come from the exposure love can have. The raw, nakedness of having see us as we truly are. We’re afraid others will not love us for our imperfections, flaws, scars, mistakes, sins. But we all have them. We need to love them. Because love can change. Love can change a person. Love can change the world.

I think of my cousin Dane. He is very dear to my heart. But I will confess my own judgement. When he was younger (and I was ignorant and young too), I used to think of him as a screwed up kid. I was super judgy. And then he spent a summer at my grannies, who lived next door. And one day I was having a judgmental thought and a voice came through loud and clear: STOP. That day and from then on, I stopped thinking negatively about him. I started talking to him, truly engaging. I asked him about his day,his life. I started doing things with my life. And I watched as my parents followed suit, and my grandmother. And the transformation he has made, brings such joy to my heart and tears to my eyes. He is the sweetest kid. He works hard. He greets me with a smile and hug. Volunteers to help me with anything. He is truly a magnificent kid. And I would have missed out on this if I would have continued to leave love out. Give someone room to feel love and they will grow exponentially. Because that’s all we all need sometimes. To feel loved and accepted. To talk and feel like someone is listening. I see this when my nephews are testing the waters or acting act sometimes, what they are really wanting is for someone to notice them, to listen to them. Open your ears and heart and let their excitement fill you up.

When my father called me worried about my grandfather’s health this morning, I think about life. What is truly important. It’s not the money or the things we have that enrich our lives. It’s the people in them. I am so profoundly blessed to have such a tight family unit, such a BIG family, good friends, and a loving, supportive husband. Love them hard. Love the ones you have, when you have them. Not when they’re old or sick. Do not love with the intention of reciprocation or comparison in your mind. Give your heart openly. Don’t think of how the other is treating you or showing love. I think of that Janet Jackson song, What Has He Done for lately. I don’t focus on what my husband is doing for me, I focus on how I can be a better wife. How I can show him love. And as a result of us both focusing on our love for each other and not what we are receiving in return, love is abundant and flourishing in our relationship. Love people right now. And let love be your message. Your purpose. Let it drive you.